Spell Gone Wrong
by MWolfe13
Summary: Harry had long been suspicious about Dumbledore's actions as he evaluates all that has happened in his life during the war. On Halloween, the time where the dead and the living are as close as could be, he summons the old man's spirit but things take a different turn because of Hermione's sudden interference.


**Written for HalloweenHarmonyComp2019!**

**Disclaimer: This piece was written for Double Double Toil and Trouble a Harmony & Co Halloween One-Shot Competition. All canon characters, plots, dialogue, and situations from the Harry Potter series belongs to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this work.**

* * *

It was one comment, spoken during a ball held at the Ministry, that got Harry thinking.

_Albus Dumbledore knew how to play the game, and he played it very well. _

This had been spoken when someone had disparaged the old Headmaster's legacy. They'd called him a conniving fool, a master of pawns. Harry had come to the man's defense immediately, he always did when it came to those that died in the war. They'd backed down from any argument he might have started, but the looks on their faces had told him they thought he was a fool too.

Their parting words had sent Harry on a downward spiral. His mind replayed memories in his head, over and over, trying to prove the deeds of his Headmaster were genuine. But like a snake whispering anxious thoughts in his head, they showed him different versions of what he remembered. He became broody and melancholy, his best friend and girlfriend not able to coax his worries out of him.

What would he tell them? That he thought their Headmaster had used him, used them all? That Dumbledore wanted him to suffer? He'd known for a long time that Harry was a Horcrux, hadn't he? Yet, he hadn't mentioned a thing to Harry before dying that Harry needed to die himself. Wouldn't that have been nice to know before they set out on their mission to destroy the dark magic?

No, he couldn't tell them, tell anyone. Not yet. He needed to be sure.

He'd gone to the Forbidden Forest, stopping at the spot he'd used the Resurrection Stone to summon his family one last time during that fateful day. He would use the stone again to summon Professor Dumbledore and get some answers. He'd already tried asking the former Headmaster's portrait, but the painting had remained silent, the Wizard dozing in his chair without a care in the world. The stone was the next best thing, the first thing if one thought about it.

Only, the stone wasn't there.

Harry had spent hours crawling through every inch of that area. He'd examined every rock and dark substance he could find to no avail. The Resurrection Stone was gone.

So he went to the next best place, his girlfriend's favorite place, a library.

* * *

Hermione called for Harry when she walked into Grimmauld Place, frowning where there was no answer. He should have been home by now. Today was All Hallow's Eve, Halloween to the Muggles, and they would be joining their friends at a celebratory bonfire in an hour. She'd been so busy at the Ministry lately, but she was sure she'd told Harry she would be back on time for them to leave together.

Maybe he'd forgotten. His mood had been strange for a few weeks now.

Hermione sighed as she walked up the stairs to the hall that housed their room. Harry had been getting depressed, and Hermione had no clue how to pull him out of it. His behavior had started after the last ball they'd attended. She hadn't been aware of anything happening, but clearly, something had set him off. Ron had no idea what was going on either, the two of them growing increasingly concerned.

She caught something at the corner of her eye when she passed the open library doors, turning sharply in shock. The room was a mess; books strewn everywhere. There was scarcely any left on the shelves. What in the world had happened?

Summoning her wand to her side, Hermione entered the library slowly, scanning the room for any sign the intruder was still there. She saw no shimmers indicating a disillusionment spell and she doubted anyone had gotten to Harry's invisibility cloak. She gingerly stepped over upturned books, repressing the need to bend down and start scooping them up. She couldn't even touch some of these, their previous owners laying curses for people like her should they find their way in here.

Coming to a stop at the lone desk in the room, Hermione looked down at a single book laying on its surface. It was open to a page with faded writing, the paper yellow with age. She bent down, eyes squinting as she made out the words.

She stopped cold.

Why would someone be looking for this? Death Magic was mostly illegal, and highly dangerous. She hadn't felt a disturbance in their Wards, so this hadn't been a stranger. Who would need access to the dead this night?

Her heart broke once it came to her. Oh, Harry.

Of course, how could she not have seen it sooner? The sadness creeping into his eyes, his brooding nature taking over, the anniversary of his parent's death. Harry hadn't been affected so badly by these thoughts for a few years now, but something at the ball must have set them off. Someone must have mentioned them in Harry's hearing.

Hermione read over the passage again with more focus. She needed to stop him. He couldn't have done enough research into this to be safe. She knew the love of her life. He was reckless personified. And he hadn't told her what he was planning, so obviously this was something she'd try to change his mind on.

Knowing exactly where she needed to go, Hermione apparated out of their home and straight to Harry. She landed in a clearing, gaze finding Harry immediately. He was chanting something, a glowing light emerging from his wand. No. No, no, no. She did the only thing she could think of. Hermione reached with her wand, thinking the spell she needed while shouting, "Harry, no!"

Startled, he spun around to face her as soon as she released her spell. She watched in horror as the two magick's collided. The backlash was like a wave. Harry was thrown back instantly, his body landing badly. Hermione made to run to him, heart squeezed in terror, but the magic reached her before she'd taken a few steps. She raised her arms in self-defense, her body losing control as she lifted and thrown. She landed with a large thud and knew no more.

* * *

Hermione and Harry stared down at their bodies. Harry was groaning, his head in his hands, while Hermione was in a state of total shock. She could see everything now. Harry's neck was twisted oddly, eyes still open in surprise. Hermione's body was surrounded in a pool of blood that had started at her neck. Her eyes were mercifully closed, though why that was any comfort at all, she had no idea.

"Why?" she asked dully.

Harry groaned, "You weren't supposed to be here! I was just trying to talk to him."

"Harry, that was dangerous magic you played with," Hermione scolded. She gestured to their cooling bodies. "Look what happened!"

He grabbed her hand then, determination in his eyes. "I know just who to find. I'll fix this Hermione. I'll make him fix this."

"Who?"

"Dumbledore."


End file.
